


Baby

by galaxyfrog



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Charthur is p subtle in this one, Feat my Arthur's horses, Have i used the word horses enough in these tags yet, Horses, Horses as metaphors for their owners, M/M, My ps4 is broken and this is how im coping, One Shot, Sort Of, This is just an excuse to write abt horses, lots of horses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-27 05:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20942663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxyfrog/pseuds/galaxyfrog
Summary: Arthur's finding his new horse a little embarrassing, but Charles thinks she's cute.





	Baby

Arthur found her in the mountain meadows while he was hunting for skins. Penny, his mustang, had perked up as they approached, blowing through her nose, but even if she hadn't, she wasn't easy to miss; she was black as the night, not a spot of anything else on her, shining in the weak light like the moon on still water. A standardbred, he reckoned, just a few years old.

He approached her on foot, leaving his lasso on Penny's saddle as he always did. One party roping the other 'round the neck got a relationship off on the wrong foot, he thought. He walked towards her from her side so she could see him clearly, hands up in front of him, voice low and soothing, the words not important. 

After he'd got on her back and she'd ceased trying to throw him, he whistled to Penny waiting in the trees fringing the meadow, and she trotted over, nickering to him. Arthur gave her a peppermint for being so patient, then offered one to the mare. She sniffed at it, worried it with her lips - and snuffled it up eagerly. Arthur chuckled. 

He switched mounts, pleased to see that the standardbred didn't bolt as soon as he moved away. He nudged Penny forward and tried whistling to her. After a moment she cantered lightly after them, ears twitching, still a little jumpy. He smiled at her. They continued on their way.

The mare stuck diligently to Penny's tail. Whenever they pulled up to inspect some pugmarks or spoor or a tuft of fur, the mare would come up so close that her nose was pressed to Penny's side or Arthur's leg. Penny would rumble, irritated, and shuffle away, and Arthur would chuckle to himself. Actin' like a big baby, he thought. Seemed as good a name as any.

Baby took an immediate liking to Taima. They were an odd pair, for sure - the appaloosa was small, broad, and steady as a rock, where Baby was green as anything and acted like her legs were a little too long for her. Taima was approaching 10 years old, and had seen a lot of horses come and go from her life, so paid little attention to Baby's arrival. Baby didn't seem to want to stand for that, much to Arthur's embarrassment.

She followed her everywhere, grazing with her, sleeping next to her, always itching to be near her when Charles and Arthur rode out together. Taima's refusal to acknowledge her did nothing to discourage her.

One late afternoon, Charles and Arthur were sitting by the lake at camp, a little way from the rest of the group. Arthur was absentmindedly sketching, often getting distracted by just watching the birds and the sunset on the lake, and Charles was making arrows. Arthur was pulled from his daydreaming by a loud whinny from behind him.

Baby and Taima had been grazing on the bank, and some inscrutable thing had riled Baby up into one of her feisty moods. She was shuffling on her feet, ears forward and nostrils flared, tossing her head at Taima. She leaned down to her, steadfastly still grazing, and nickered, bouncing away, pawing at the ground. Taima flicked an ear towards her, but otherwise didn't move.

Arthur huffed and closed his journal. "Goddamn it, Baby, would you just settle? Leave the poor old gal alone."

Charles chuckled under his breath without looking up. "Hey now. Don't talk about my girl like that."

"Sorry about her, Charles. Got more foolishness in her than she knows what to do with. Don't know when to quit."

Charles looked at him, smiling softly. "It's alright. It's sweet. Probably be good for Taima to have a friend. I think she just doesn't know how to have one."

Arthur smiled back at him, ducking his head. Just then, Baby pranced back towards Taima, leaned down, and nipped her on the neck. Taima rose up, squealing indignantly, and ran after Baby as she gambolled away through the grass. Baby turned towards her, bobbing her head and nickering, and whatever annoyance Taima initially felt seemed to melt away at that; suddenly they were playing like yearlings, leaping and rearing and running.

Arthur stared at them for a moment, before a silly smile worked its way onto his face. He looked over at Charles and saw that he was doubled up in laughter, eyes crinkled and shoulders shaking.

"Goddamn." Arthur was giggling, not sure who to watch. "Never thought I'd see the day."

**Author's Note:**

> Unless my ps4 is fixable I will never see Penny and Baby again pls pray for me


End file.
